This blog is my own – I’m not speaking for New Oaks Church when I share blogged opinions. But since it is my privilege to serve as one of New Oaks’ pastors, people sometimes pop up here who are curious about it. Here’s just a little.

Our Mission and Values

Seems to us that Jesus Christ is about extending relationships: from God to us, from us to us (as I come to understand myself through God’s eyes), and from us to others – those who know him well, only a little, or not at all. We keep calling ourselves back to growing relationships in what we do, how we interact, and how we give and spend.

Authenticity in that mission, for us, comprises four values – you see them on the tree. Pursuing the mission needs to be beautiful, and we hope to keep it that way.

Those happiest here are people who assume they will find God changing them into someone they like more and more, and who expect their church to be an aid to that process.

Getting together

We gather to worship on Sundays at 10:30. Same purpose as above: Growing relationships with God, self, and others.
Many of us gather in small groups at different times through the week. Same purpose as above.
And children and their parents gather on most Wednesday nights at 6:30 for Creation Station. Guess what its purpose might be.

Welcome

If our purpose seems like it might be useful to you, too, you are so welcome at our gatherings.

We do not dress up – for the gospel is for people who have no dress up clothes at least as much as it is for those who do.

In addition, there are many Mexican and Guatemalan families in our town, some of whom wonder if they are welcome at Washington’s mostly-white churches. My answer is Estan Uds. en su iglesia aqui.

Finding us

New Oaks’ building is located at 1506 N. 5th Avenue in Washington, IA, USA. Follow 4th Avenue north about 1 mile from Iowa Highway 92. Turn right at E. 15th. You’ll see it. Click here for a map. Washington is about 35 minutes south of the Iowa City area’s Interstate 80/380 interchange.

Is it part of a denomination?

New Oaks’ full name is Washington New Oaks Church of the Nazarene. The Church of the Nazarene is an international body that seeks to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world. More details on the COTN worldwide are available at http://www.nazarene.org.

Contact Us

Any comment left on this blog posts to my email as well.
For more private communication, you may email me at masbury@iowatelecom.net.
And you may leave a message for me at the church’s office: 319-653-4649 (though most of my work is done away from the building and it may take me a few days to get back to you. Email works best.)

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7 Responses

I got your information from a friend of mine. We may come to visit you. I just want to know your view on the Bible, Jesus’ role in my life, and salvation. Just getting some ideas of a good church to go to when we come visit our family there.

Long-lost and so very sad. In my youth, I embraced Christianity because of my grandmother Martha. She was the single most loving, giving, beautifully selfless person I have ever known. She knew no disparagement, no cynicism, no enemy and no fear. She knew that love was the only way that humanity could survive beyond its origins as failed chain of evolutionary accident.

Hubris and contempt have brought us far from our faith and left us abed on harsh shores.

I love your mission statement. As a not-for-prophet believer in the spiritual freedom of loving, I support it and wish you well in your endeavors. Love knows no race, no “church”, no disfigurement and no retreat. To the extent that we do not love, we reject the embrace of the all and sequester our selves from grace freely offered.